Fixture for vacuum tube lights



Sept. 20, 1932. L. L. BECK FIXTURE FOR VACUUM TUBE LIGHTS Filed Feb. 27, 1926 ATTORN EYS Lno I.. BECK, or

@atented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED srarss PATENT Fries LINDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CLAUDE NEON LIGHTS, INC., F

NEW YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FIXTURE FOR VACUUM TUBE LIGHTS Application filed February 27, 1926. Serial No. 91,014.

v relatively small diameter and of considerable length and are provided with electrodes at the ends thereof. The space within the tube is lled with any suitable gas such as neon or other gas having the desired characteristics at a suitable pressure. When the proper electro-motive force is impressed upon the elec-- 4 trodes, as is well known in the art, the tube radiates light of a color determined by the characteristics of the material used in the lamp. Such lamps are particularly favored for advertising signs for various reasons and are more or less widely used.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mounting for lamps of the class described which will cushion the same from shocks and thereby minimize breakage of lamps.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting for lamps of the class described which-will cushion the lamp from shocks and will at the same time maintain a positive electrical contact with the lamp electrodes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting ier lamps of the class described which will permit the lamp to be mounted on the face of a board or sign while the power cables, transformer and the like are concealed behind the board.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting for lamps of the .class described which will insulate the lamps from the sign and prevent any possibility of short circuit incase the sign or part of it is made of electrical conducting material. v

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting for the lamps of the class described which shall be simple and econom-- ical to construct, which lends itself to quick removal and replacement of lamps, and in general to provide an improved mounting for lamps of the class described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting for lamps of the class described whichwill enable the lamp to be yieldingly supported, to have a slight lateral movement, and to be held normally against longitudinal movement.

. My invention will best be understood both as to its underlying principles and as to its practical embodiment 'by reference to the specilication and to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a view partly in section of a neon vacuum tube lamp of the class described mounted on a sign in accordance with my invention.

Referring now tothe drawing, 1 designates what I may term a board. This board may be a sheet of metal having on its-face a suitable background for the light of the lamps and is provided with a pair of openings 2 (only one being shown) in which the vacuum tube lamp may be mounted in a manner to be described. In the form shown by way of example the vacuum tube lamp comprises an elongated and relatively thin tubular light emitting portion 3 which may be bent into the desired shape. The portion 3 terminates at each end in a bulb portion 4t containing the electrode 5 which is secured in position by a suitable leading-in wire 6 secured to the electrode and passing through the wall of the tube and being sealed therein as at 7. A suitable contact member 8 termed a base cap is secured to the base of bulb portion 4t and electrically connected to the leading-in wire 6.

The drawing illustrates two of my improved iXtures or mountings one engaging each end of the lamp. The lixture at the left is in section while the one illustrated at the right is in perspective. As both mountings are constructed alike it is only necessary to refer herein specifically to the fixture located at the left side of the drawing. It may also be stated at this point that the board may be and usually is one of the walls of a boxv like structure in which the transformer and other sign mechanism are located.

For the purpose of mounting the lamp in the opening 2 of the board l I provide a tubular socket member 9 formed of suitable insulating material capable of being molded or otherwise workedinto the desired shape.

I prefer to mold the member 9 from glass but it will be clear that equivalent materials may be used if desired. Suitable provision is made for supplying current to the lamp asfor instance by means of contact member 10 which may be of brass secured to and supported by a suitable spring l1 also of brass if desired. Spring 11 in turn is supported and maintained in position and electrically connected to the source of power by the removable terminal assembly mounted in the rear of the socket member 9.

This terminal assembly comprises a bolt 12 passing through a perforation 13 in the end wall of the socket 9 and having a head 14 and a washer 15 located between the head 14 and the inner surface of the end wall of the socket 9, a nut 16, a washer 17 located between the nut 1 6 and the outer surface of the end wall of the socket 9 and a clamping nut 18. The spring/10 is preferably supported by having one end thereof clamped between the head 14 and the washer 15. It will be clear that while I have shown particular forms of contact and terminal members modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The tubular socket member 9 is preferably provided with a suitable flange 19 for engagement with the inner side of board 1 and is made of sufficient length to receive within it a substantial part if not all of the bulb portion 4 of the lamp. Ample clearance should be allowed to permit of receiving bulbs varying in size while at the same time the thickness of the member 9 will be properly chosen in view of the material used so as to have sufficient strength for the purpose.

The flange 19 is located at a distance from the outer or open end of the tubular member 9 to permit the portion 20 thereof to project through the opening in board 1 and extend out on the other side thereof a suficient distance to 'enable a suitable cap member 21 to be screw-threaded or otherwise attached thereto. The portion 2O is preferably provided with screw threads 22 formed on the exterior thereof and the outer part is also preferablv bevelled as at 23 for the purpose to be described later. The cap member 21 is also provided with an opening 24 of sufficient size to permit it to slip freely and readily over bulb 4 and is provided on its interior with screw threads 25 fitting with the screw threads 22 on the part 20. In fact the opening 24 is sufiiciently large to permit a slight lateral movement of the end 4 of the tube when the latter has been assembled in operative position. Furthermore the ends 4 may not be fabricated exactly parallel to each other, but to compensate for such irregularities in the manufacture of the tubes the hole 2 is made of a diameter in excess of the diameter of the projecting portion 20 of the somewhat smaller than bulb 4 with which it is to be used. This washer is clamped between the inwardly directed flange 29 of the cap member 21 and the outer end of the projecting portion 2O of the socket member. Inasmuch as the outer end ofothe portion 20 is bevelled in the manner indicated it will be seen that when the cap 2l.is screwed home on the projecting portion 20 the washer or gasket 28 will be forced inwardly to effect a firm fluid tight engagement with the outer wall of the bulb 4.

IVhile the cap member 21 may be made of any material desired and suitable for the purpose I have found that satisfactory results may be obtained when it is formed of phenol condensation products such as that known in the trade as bakelite, or of porcelain.

The method of assembling a lamp in the mounting made in accordance with my invention will now be described. A hole 2 (still referring to the left hand side of the figure) is punched or otherwise made in a board on which it is desired to mount theI lamp such hole being of course provided with sufficient clearance tol allow the projecting portion 20 of the tubular member 9 to pass readily therethrough and have a slight lateralmovement therein. The cap member 21 is placed on bulb 4 and thereafter the washer 28 is likewise placed on bulb 4. Since the hole in washer 28 is slightly smaller in diameter than bulb 4, asl explained, the washer 28 will be somewhat deformed and will be frictionally held to the surface of bulb 4. 'Ihe projecting portion 20 of the tubular member 9 is then placed in the hole 2 in board 1 on the rearside thereof and washer 26 placed in position over said projecting portion. Bulb 4 is now-inserted in the socket member 9 and cap 21 tightened. A certain amount of adjustability for positioning the lamp'is provided through the spring member 11 and washer 28 since it will be clear that bulb 4 may be pushed in varyingdistance and contact will be made by spring 11 with contact member 8 it being understood that the strength of spring l11 is not sufficient to overcome the friction between the glass of bulb 4 and the rubber washer 28 when the cap 21 is tightened. g

While I have specified certain materials as giving good results in a construction of a mounting according to my invention it is clear that my invention is not limited to the use of the materials specified but that other materials may be specied as desired Without departing from the spirit of my inventlon.' It is also to be understood that the ixture and the support at the right hand side of the drawin are preferably constructed the same as the xture and support at the left hand side of the drawing.

Having now described my invention in such terms as to enable those skilled in the art to practice it and obtain the benefits thereof I declare that what I claim is:

l. A luminous gas discharge tube mounting comprising, in combination, a socket adapted to receive within it a portion at least of the said tube, a cap for said socket provided with an opening adapted to receive a tube, means cooperating with said socket and cap for normally securing said tube against longitudinal movement in said socket and cooperating means on the so'cket andv cap for securing the mounting to a supporting member.

2. A luminous gas discharge tube mounting comprising, in combination, a socket adapted to receive within it a portion at least of said tube, a cap for said socket provided with an opening adapted to receive the tube, frictional lamp engaging means gripped between said cap and said socket for normally securing said tube against longitudinal movement in said socket, and cooperating means on the socket and cap for securing the mounting to a supporting member.

3. A luminous gas discharge tube mount- .ing comprising, in combination, a socket adapted to receive within it a portion of said tube, a resilient contact member for making electrical contact with said tube, a cap for said socket provided with an opening adapted to receive the tube, and means secured by the cap for securing said tube inY position against the pressure of saidresilient contact member. l v

4. A luminous gas discharge tube mounting comprising, 1n combination, a socket adapted to receive within ita portion at least of said tube, a contact member carried by said socket for making electrical contact with said tube, a cap member for said socket provided with an opening adapted to receive the tube and resilient lamp engaging means secured by the cap for securing said tube against said contact member.

5. A luminous gas discharge tube mounting comprising, in combination, a socket adapted to receive within it a portion at least of said tube, a resilient contact member for making electrical contact with' said tube, a

cap member for the socket provided with an opening adapted to receive the tube, and frictional tube engaging means gripped between said socket and said cap for securing said tube in position against the pressure of said resilient contact member.

6. A luminous gas discharge tube mounting comprising, in 'combinationI a socket member adapted to receive within it a portion at least of said tube and provided with a projecting portion adapted to accommodate a cap, a cap member provided with an opening adapted to receive the tube and arranged to fit over said socket member, a washer member adapted to embrace the bulb of said tube and arranged to be clamped between said socket and said cap member and cooperating means between the socket and cap adjacent the projecting portion for securing the mounting to a supporting member.

7 An adjustable gas discharge luminous tube mounting in combination with a sign base formed with a hole, said mounting comprising a tubular body having a flange for engagement with the periphery of said hole, a cap member adapted to receive the tube and to secure the said flange against the said sion base and resilient annular means adapte to cooperate with the cap member to secure the tube in the tubular body.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of February, 1926.

LEO L. BECK. 

